Brain State Synchronizer

The Brain State Synchronizer is a small battery-operated, portable walkman-size computer with a sound card that can generate binaural sound patterns. These specific sound patterns can be used to entrain the brain of a person to a different state such as sleep, meditation, etc. In most cases headphones should be used. A special pillow speaker has been developed to eliminate wearing headphones while using the Sleep mode. The Field Effect Tubular meditation speakers enhance the meditative state and create unique situations that do not occur with headphones.

How Does It Work?

The Brain State Synchronizer produces sound patterns that engage the brain and nervous system. By triggering the Fight-Flight sympathetic nervous response it is possible to increase the respiration rate, respiration volume, VO2 uptake, CO2 production. This is similar to lifting weights except the extra work is being done by the brain. Just as weight training can increase muscle strength and endurance, this system can train "the muscle between the ears".

Why Was It Developed?

Several years ago, Jim Meissner, an electronics engineer, was having difficulty playing tennis, a sport that he loved. He researched and developed a device which varied his brain state until he could see the tennis ball coming at him in slow motion. This "Up" mode improved his game so much that he won the first place trophy in his group and became a certified tennis professional. When Jim experimented and wrote the program to run in reverse, he discovered that this "Down" mode would relax him, and the "Sleep" mode helped provide more restful sleep. Further research resulted in the "Relax" mode, which is a sweeping binaural beat program for stress reduction and meditation.

Is It Patented?

United States Patent Number 5,135,468 was issued to Juergen P. Meissner dated Aug. 4, 1992.

METHOD AND APPARATUS OF VARYING THE BRAIN STATE OF A PERSON BY MEANS OF AN AUDIO SIGNAL

Abstract: A method of varying the brain state of a person includes the steps of supplying the first audio signal to one ear of the person, supplying a second audio signal to the other ear of the person, and substantially continuously varying the frequency of at least one of the first and second audio signals to vary the brain state of the person.

Who Is The Inventor?

Juergen Paul Meissner (Jim) has been self-employed as a consultant in the aerospace electronic field since 1970. The main focus has been in the "analog" world such as power supplies, operational amplifiers, and AC and DC instruments. Jim holds patents in several diverse fields.

What Does An Engineer Know About The Brain?

I look at things from an electrical engineering perspective. For example the rods and cones in the eyes look very much like electronic photo-multiplier tubes, the nerves are pulse rate modulated communication lines, there are neural networks, servo systems, feedback loops, etc. So long as I look at it from that standpoint, I can do "Black Box" analysis using engineering principles without getting lost in the extremely complicated field of neurology. A somewhat simple example of "Black Box" analysis is: there is a box with a pipe in, a pipe out, and two wires going in. You discover that when you put cold water in the in pipe and 220 volts on the wires, hot water comes out of the out pipe. What could this be? This might be a water heater. We could test the temperature of the water at various flow rates and be able to quantify many things about the "Black Box" without ever opening it and looking inside. In a similar way we can determine many things about how the brain works without cutting it open. You can apply various stimuli and record the resultant outputs. As shown in the patent, by measuring various outputs such as skin resistance, finger tip temperature, and brain wave analysis, a great amount could be determined about the state of the sympathetic nervous system. Then, by applying various stimuli, the results could be observed. Thus, by experimenting and by trial and error, it was possible to develop a system of tones and pulses which proved to be effective in changing a person's brainstate.

Quick Reference Guide

1. PROGRAM SELECTION. (Refer to Program Listing Chart). Push the small buttons on the program switch to change the programs numbers.

2. HEADPHONES. A 3.5mm stereo plug is required. Avoid the old style headphones with the 1/4” jacks. Although they can be adapted with a 1/4” to 3.5mm adapter the larger plugs can stress and damage the headphone jack. Avoid expensive, high sensitivity headphones as they may pick up annoying background artifacts and hiss.

3. SPEAKERS. Special Binaural Pillow Speakers and Tubular Field Effect Speakers are available from Meissner Industries. These speakers were specially designed as a substitute for headphones. Conventional speakers will reduce the effectiveness of the Brain State Synchronizer.

4. ON-OFF SWITCHES. The START switch is located to the left of the volume control, the STOP is located to the right of the volume control. It may be necessary to hold the Start switch down for a moment until you hear the program begin. Some programs stop automatically (power off) and turn the Synchronizer off. Others repeat continuously (repeat).

5. VOLUME CONTROL. The volume control should be turned up to be quite loud for maximum effectiveness, but, do not exceed your comfort level.

6. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. The UP program modes can be used while driving. The DOWN, SLEEP, and RELAX modes MUST NOT BE USED WHILE DRIVING. The UP modes stimulate concentration and tend to promote reflex response improvement. This is accomplished by promoting an increase in Beta wave amplitude. The DOWN, SLEEP, and RELAX modes promote Alpha, Theta, and Delta activity and are best for relaxation, sleep, stress reduction, and meditation.

7. BATTERIES AND RECHARGING. A 2.1mm power jack is located to the left of the volume control. The 12-volt charger plugs into the power jack and requires 16 hours to recharge a dead battery pack. The charger can be left plugged into the Model 11 to provide a trickle charge to the NiCad battery pack. Depending on use and volume, you can expect 4 to 5 hours of battery life before needing a recharge.

NOTE: THE MODEL 11 BRAIN STATE SYNCHRONIZER IS NOT A MEDICAL DEVICE. IT IS NOT DESIGNED TO DIAGNOSE OR CURE A MEDICAL CONDITION. If you are under the care of a physician you are advised to seek your physician’s approval before using the Model 11 Brain State Synchronizer.

MEISSNER INDUSTRIES, PO Box 757, Nellysford, VA, 22958

Transcript of a Talk by Jim Meissner

This is slightly edited version of a talk given by Jim Meissner at the Quest Bookshop in Charlottesville, Virginia on 06-06-2000. There are a large number of errors that occurred during the transcription due to the poor quality of the tape recording. In spite of that, the information is very useful.

Please note that this is a very large file. It has been divided into smaller files to make the download faster.